Stephen f



' June 3 1924. 1,496,447

s. BRIGGS KEY CONTROLLED LIGHTING AND IGNITION SWITCH Filed March 15. 1915 2 Shoots-Sheet l WI r/vzzhsz'a .4 r rain A7.

June 3 1924. 1,496,447

S. F. BRIGGS KEY CONTROLLED LIGHTING AND IGNITION SWITCH Filed March 15. 1915 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 Patented June 3, 1924.

UNITED STATES QFFICE.

sTEr-HE F. BRIGGS, or MILWAUKEE, wIsooNsIN. Ass-xenon 'ro BRIGGS & STRATTON COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE, wIscoNsI-N, A CORPORATION F--WISC 0NSIN.'

KEY-CONTFOLLED LiG HTING AND IGNITION SWITCH.

a ucatioirm d marches, 1915. Serial No. 14,418.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I. STEPHEN F. BRIGGS,

' a citizen of the United States. 'and'resident of Milwaukee, and county of Milwaukee, and State .o'fiWisconsin, have invented 'new and useful Improvements in jKey-Controlled Lighting and Ignition Switches, of which the "following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification This invention-"has for its object to provide a switch de ending upon the presence of a removable Key for itsoperation, and adaptedito control'the lighting and ignition circuits of'an automobile or the like;

Another object of the invention is to provide such a' key controlled switch'with a sprin'g'co'ntact member for controlling the ignition cir'ciiihhndadapted when the key is' removed, to s ring to'ja' position for rendering the'ignltion' circuit ineliective as well as for engaging stops for preventing, the operation'of the-switch. v

Another object of the invention is to. per feet details of construction of switch mechanism of this characterL With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the key'controlled lightin and ignition switch as herein olaime and all equivalents. Y

Referring to the-accompanying drawin s, in which like characters of reference in icate the same parts in the different views,

Fig. 1 is a front view of a switch constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view showing by dotted lines the position of the switch in the off position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the switch in the dim position in which the small headlights and the taillights are burning:

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the switch in the on position in which the large head: li hts and the taillights are burning:

ig. 6 is a rear vieii with the base or terminal head removed; V

Fi 7 is a central sectional view of the switci with the key removed:

Fig. 8 is a similar view with the key in place; v

Fig. 9 is a' sectional elevation showing the ignition spring contact fitting between stop lugs on the switch member for lockingthc switch; and,

Fig; 10 is areariview' o'f'the hub with the switch 'niember or contact. disk removed.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the "key guide. In these drawings10indicates a casing or cylindrical sheeti'rietal shell with on'e 'end turned inwardly'to -form a "flan e. in thebth'er, end 'of. the"ca'sing i'sa' flange base or terminal head 11 'of insulating 'mate-' rial 'to which the shell or hood is removably attached by'r'ne'a'ns of screws. The base or terminal head'll'has afreces'sfin its 'upper face and has arran' ed arounds'aidrecess acircular series of. epressions 12, some of which are formed in metal contact bushings which are i forced into openings inthe base, and on the'bbttom of the base foim. binding p'ost 's'513; 14, 15 and lfi-res'pectively." Within the recess'of-thgebase theirs is'inounteda con tact spring 1*7{'by "having a broadened end bent under and'secured to the ba s'e'byiscrews 18, one of which fits ina' bu'shing19 which is connected by a metal stripf 203011 the bottom ofthe base with the'binding post 13. The other end of the spring extends outwardly and thefi'downwardly with its'e'nd positioned above -agcontact bushing 'which' forms a' binding post 21, the bent" portion of the spring being confined within an arched staple 22 which is secured to and projects above the base. A switch member or contact disk 23 of insulating material is carried by the base part of the switch by having a hub 24 secured thereto and fittin within the opening between "the edges of t e inturned 'fiange of the casing, and secured to the bottom of this disk 23 is a sheet metal spider 25 having radial arms with their ends convexed to fit the depressions l2 in the base, said spider bein preferably induplicate to, increase the dura ility thereof. The spring action of these radial contact-arms of the spider. hearing upon the top of the base 11 serves to hold the disk "23 in its bearing relation against the flange of the casing, and suitable spacing posts 26 project from the disk 23 and engage the base 11 to limit the movementiof the disk 23 toward the base. A pair offstop pins 27 project from the edge of the disk 23 and are adapted to engage a stop lug 28 ressed in from the side of the casing lOto imit the turning movements of the switch Fittin ing .fi'om the end of the mcmbcr. A handle 29 is countersunk in and secured to the hub 24 and has a central cylindrical opening ertcnding irorn its Lowe; end to near its upper nd where it'is provided s with a keyhole slot 30 through which a key 31 may pass and occupy the slot which ex; tends entirely throuqh the cylindrical upper portion ofa' key guit e 32 fitting within said C \'llfl(ll'l(.ill opening of thchandlc. The key guide 3'2. besides its split cylindrical upper portion, has a boss at its lower end which forms a central connection for the lower ends of the two sections of the split cylindrical portion, and parallel fingers 3 4 project key 31 embrace the oppii site sidcs ot boss 33 and engage the flanged upper end of athirnble or-tubular plunger 35 which fits on the boss 33 and has a plug 36 of insulating material at its lower end by which it engages the contact 5 ring 17. 'Ilheplunger 35 is pressed upward by the contact spring 1.? "and is held thereby against the bottom of the cylindrical upper portion of the key guide 32 when the key is returned, but is forced downwardly by the fingers 3,4 of the key when the key 15- inserted, thus depressing the contact spring 17 until it engages the terminal contact 21. The key on being inserted through the keyhole 3t) and ressed inwardly toefiect this core nection 18 held in. place by giving it a quarter turn which is permitted .by the notches in the opposite edges thereof receiving the flanged portion of the handle in whichthe keyhole is ormed, and the upward spring pressure against the key holds it seated a ainst suitable notches on the bottom surface of the said flanges.

A pair of locking pins 37 project irom the bottom surface of the'disk 23 in position to receive the contact spring 17 between them when the key is-\\-'ithdra vn from the switch in the intermediate or ofi position, as best seen in igs. 3 and 9, but when the key is inserted and the sprin 7' 1-7 is depressed it is carried out of the path of travel of said lockingpins, as best seen in Fig. 8, so that the switch may freely turn. If the key is remoi'ed in either of the other positions of the switch the spring 17 will prevent turning in one direction, and the engagement of the stop pin .2? with the stop lug 23 will prevent turning of the switch in the other direction.

In connecting up the switch of this inven- 1 lion the binding posts 19 and '21 are connectcd with thc tcr'ininals of a gas engine ignition circuit. and the binding posts formed by the contact bushings 13. 14. 15 and It; are connected with the battery, taillight, small headlight, and the large headlight respectively. \Vhen the switch is in the fgfi' position, shown in Fig. 3,'thc re is no sp n rm i e spider 95 in e g gement wi th fba ry Co tac .3, and con eq en ly 95 the lamps ushering-bu n'the dim position of the switch. shown in Fig. l, the spring arms of spider 2;") are in engagement with battery contact 13, taillight oohta'ct"14',"and Small headlight contact 15, so that the taillights and the small headlights are burning, while in the on position of the switch, shown in Fig. 5, the battery contact 13, the taillight contact 14, and the large headlight contact 16 are cngiwed headlights are dimmed. This dimmiggctiect may e P y the ila g and small headlight lamps insepa. t5; circuits 91' by the usehqf single. headhghi lamps with d mm g t ne in stings-therewith tote included or excludedby the switch -in the manner s m i my wpe t ing pnliea n Serial No. 19,873 for lighting .grnglignitiqn switch, filed March 8, 11915,

,4 In operation the switch mechanis n oftl is invention combines in the contaoteprgingp switch member for controlling the ignition of the engine aqdfa means ior ,loqking the lighting switch against operation -bqth depend n up n -passenge h *k y which therefore constitutes a. removsbllehandie for the ignition {switch pnd- 5513128"- to disable the loeltin menus for .tlre-;l,-igliti ng switch by its attac merit. the key is removed from the switch in? any position thereoj the switch cannot be turned to change the lighting connections, grid ,tl ij0 engine can not be operated,- forits ignition circuit is opened by the contact spring'l'? moving out of eng'ageme nt with the terminal contac 1- As. oo s' l eltty s r tu ned. however, the ignit ion 'circuit'is restored; and the contact spring 17 being do ressed by the plunger 35 out of the path 0 travel oi the locking lugs 37, the sfwitch may be freely turned to'any position desired.-

The arrangement of the contact'busl'iings and the spring arms of the spider varied to suit'the requircments'asZt-he switch is not confined to the particular connections s ho w L i .1

It is obyious that the ignition control may be efi'ec-ted by the spring 1? closing a circluit by engaging ac'ontact'on the removal OfllllG key, as required with magneto-ignition.

VVhat I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

'1. An ignition and lighting switch, comprising a spring actuated member for soiltro l ng an ge tion circuitfa movable switch member for controlling a lighting circuit engaged and locked by the spring actuated member, and a key for moving the spring actuated member out of locking engagement with the switch member to a position for rendering the. ignition circuit effective.

2. A combined lighting and ignition switch having a contactspring for controlling an ignition circuit, a switch member for controlling a lighting circuit engaged and locked by the contact spring, and a key for forcing the contact spring out of locking engagement with the switch member andinto a position for rendering the ignition circuit efi'ective.

3. A combined lighting and ignition switch, comprising a contact spring, a contact adapted to be engaged thereby for controlling an ignition circuit, a rotatable switch member for controlling a lighting circuit and havin means for en aging the contact spring to be locked thereiby against turning, a plunger slidably mounted in the switch member and engaging the contact spring, and a, key removably fitting'in the switch member and adapted to engage and depress the plunger to move the contact spring out of locking engagement with the switch member and into engagement with the contact,

" an combined ignition and lighting switch, comprising an insulating base, a contact thereon, a" contact spring mounted on the insulating base and capable of being moved into engagement with the contact to control an ignition circuit, a casing mounted on thebase, a rotary switch member mounted inthe casing, means on the switch member to be engaged by the contact spring for locking the switch member against turning, contact arms carried by the switch member, contacts on the base engaged by the contact arms for controlling a li hting circuit, a

plun er slidably .mounted in the switch mem er, and a key removably fitting in the switch member and adapted to depress the plunger to force the contact spring out of locking engagement with the switch member and into engagement with its contact.

5. A combined ignition and lighting switch, comprising an insulating base, a contact mounted thereon, a contact spring mounted on the base and adapted to be moved into engagement. with the contact for controlling an ignition circuit, said contact spring being bent to form a loop. a guide on the base engaged by the sides of the loop for preventing lateral movement of the contact spring, acasing mounted on the base, aswitch member rotatably mounted in the. casing and having means engaged by the contact spring for locking the switch member against turning,' contact arms carried by the switch member, contacts on the base engaged thereby for controlling a lighting cir cuit, a plunger mounted in the switch member and engaging the contact spring, and a key removably fitting in the switch member and engaging the plunger to force the contact spring out of locking engagement with the switch member and into engagementwith its contact.

6. In a lockin switch, a rotatably mounted switch mem )0! having spaced locking shoulders, a spring mounted in a fixed position and adapted to fit between the locking shoulders thereof to prevent the turning-of the switch member, an electrical contact controlled by the movements of the spring contacts carried by the switch member, stationary contacts engaged thereby for controlling a circuit, and a key removably fitting in the switch member and adapted to force the spring out of engagement with the locking shoulders.

7. In a locking switch, a rotatably mounted switch member having a pair of spaced locking shoulders, a spring lockingmember fitting between the locking shoulders of the. switch member to prevent the turning thereof, contacts carried by the switch member, stationary contacts engaged thereby for con trolling an electrical circuit, a handle for turning the switch member provided with a keyhole slot and a cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, a cylindrical slotted key guide fitting in the cylindrical chamber of the handle and provided hvith .a central projection, a tubular plun er fitting onthe projection of the key gui e and engaging the sprin and a removable key fitting in the keyho e and through the slot of the key guide and engaging the plunger to force'it against the spring and move the spring out of locking engagement with the switch member. "l

8. A locking switch, comprising a movable locking member for controlling an electrical circuit, a. switch member for controlling another electrical circuit enga ed and locked by the locking member, an a key for moving the locking member.

9. A combined lighting and ignition switch, comprising an ignition circuit controlling member, a movable lighting circuit controlling member adapted to be locked against movement, and a key for unlocking the lighting circuit controlling member and when inserted adapted to move the ignition circuit controlling member to render the ignition circuit. effective.

10. In acombination lighting and ignition switch, a normally locked movable lighting switch member, a key adapted to its be inserted therein and an ignition circuit tion switch, a normally locked movable lighting switch member, an ignition switch member, and a key adapted to be inserted in the lock to unlock the lighting switch member and to more the ignition switch member to a position for rendering the ignition circuit operative.

12. In a combination lighting and ignition switch, an oscillating switch member for controlling a lighting'cironit and having various positions for effecting different conditions in the lighting circuit, docking means for locking the lighting switch member in its various positions, a key fittin in said locking means, the insertionof the lrey servin to release the locking means, and an ignition switch operated by the insertion of the key.

13. In a combined lighting and ignition switch, a casing, a lighting switch -member revolubly mounted therein, a stoplimiting the movements thereof, means for holding the lighting switch member in various -operative positions within its are of fl0 ement for efi'ecting different conditions inthe lighting circuit, means .for locking .the lighting switch member in its various positions, a ey adapted to be inserted in the locking means to release the locking, means, and ignition circuit cont-rolling means dependent upon-the presenceof the key.

14. In a circuit controller, two switches with their operating means mounted one within the other, a single terminal head for both switches, anda removable key required for the operation of one of the switch operati 0 means. r

15. -n a circuit closer, two switches having their operating means mounted concentrlcally one within the other, a single ter minal head for both switches, and a cen trally fitting removable key required for the operation of one of the switches.

16. In a circuit controller, two switches having their operating means arranged concentrically one within the other, a single terminal head bearing contacts for both switches, the inner switch operating means beiw normally iuacessible, and a removable handle by which said switch operating means may be operated.

17. In a circuit. controller, two switches with their operating means arranged one within the other, "a .remorable key fitting therein, one of the switches being incapable of operation when the key is removed. and a single terminal head having contacts for both switches.

18-. In a circuit controller, two switches with their operating means arranged concentrically one within the other,arigidly attached handle for the operating means of one switch and a removable key for the operating means of the other switch, the circuit of the first switch being controlled by turning the rigidly attached handle and the circuit of the second switch being controlled by the attachment of the removable key, and a single terminal head. bearing contacts for both switches.

19. A switch, a key-operated lock there for; and a second switch operated by the key-actuated movements of the lock.

20. A switch, a lock therefor, a key for the lock, and a second switch having connection with the key fornperationthereby.

2 1. In a circuit controller, a switch .casing, a .base forming=a-terminal head there-- for, a switch member within .the switch casing and engaging the contacts of the terminal head, a handle ,for the switch member projecting through the casing. and a second switch within the switch casing and cooperating with the contacts oftheterminal head and having its operating handle fitting removably within the handle oflhe first mentioned switch.

22. In a circuit controller, a switch casing, a switch member within the switch casing, a handle for the switchmembe'r 'projecting through the front of'theswi tch casing, a terminal head forming the hack of the switch casing-and having-contacts engaged by the switch member, [a second switch member within the casingrengieg ing a contact of the terminal head, and 'a 'iemovable handle for the secondsxtitchmember fitting concentrically within the other handle.

23. In a :circuit controller, a casing, a switch member rotatably mounted therein, a handle .for the switch member passing through the front of the, c asing, a terminalhead forming a back for the casin and provided with contacts, sprin actuate contacts on the switch member ar-ing on the terminal head and engaging contacts thereof, a second switch member within the easing also en aging at contact of the terminal head, an a handle for the second switch member removably mounted concentrically within'the handle of the first switch momber.

24. A lighting switch and an auxiliary switch for automobiles and the like. a removable actuating member for said auxiliary switch, and means controlled by said actuating member for rendering said lightin switch inoperative.

n testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN F. BRIGGS.

IVitnesses R. S. C. CAIDWELL, KATHERINE Horn. 

